TMC Chief Medical Officer selected as an honorary commander for the Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing

There are a few things you may not know about the 162nd Wing of the Arizona Air National Guard, our neighbor adjacent to the Tucson International Airport:

From its roots as an adobe farmhouse and dirt-floor hangar 60 years ago, it has grown to be one of the largest Air National Guard wings in the country.

The 162nd Wing trains the world’s best fighter pilots and has graduated more than 7,000 pilots from 28 countries since 1969.

The unit’s Reconnaissance Group has remotely piloted more than 65,000 hours to support of efforts overseas.

For all of those reasons, Tucson Medical Center is proud that Dr. Rick Anderson, senior vice president and chief medical officer, has been selected by the commanders to serve as the honorary commander for the 162nd Medical Group for a two-year term.

The doctors, nurses and other medical personnel at the Medical Group work diligently to support the missions of the wing. Many of these citizen-airmen work full-time in our community and serve our country part-time as guardsmen.

Dr. Anderson said he was humbled by the opportunity. “I believe this is an excellent way to connect with a vital part of our Tucson community,” said Anderson, who served four years active duty in the U.S. Army and is board-certified in family medicine. “As a veteran myself, it is an honor to better serve and connect with members of our Armed Forces.”

“The program is designed to educate community members about the mission, rigors, demands and camaraderie of the wing, as well as the Air National Guard,” said First Lieutenant Lacey Roberts public affairs officer for the 162nd Wing. “We are pleased to welcome Dr. Anderson to our team and believe his knowledge and expertise will be a valuable asset to the program.”

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Email Address

About TMC

Tucson Medical Center, licensed at more than 600 beds, has been Tucson’s locally governed nonprofit regional hospital for more than 70 years.

TMC is Southern Arizona’s leading provider for emergency care and pediatric care (including Tucson’s first Pediatric Emergency Department), with top-notch intensive care units for adults, children and newborns.